www.asaecenter.org
A Strategic Approach to Blogs,
Wiki’s and All the Rest
August 18, 2009
9:00 a.m.
Connecting Great Ideas and Great People

Today s
Today’s Presenters
Colleen Nolan, Senior Consultant, ComBlu, LLC
Damon Dozier, Director of Public Affairs, American
Anthropological Association
p g
Jennifer Ragan-Fore, Director of New Media & Member
Communities,
Communities International Society for Technology in
Education
www.asaecenter.org

Social Media Readiness
Content Leader:
Colleen Nolan, Senior Consultant,
ComBlu, LLC
www.asaecenter.org
Connecting Great Ideas and Great People

Being Ready for Social Media
h difference between interested and ready
The d ff b d
The risks of taking action before you are ready

Why Readiness is Critical
It’s something new
It moves quickly
It uses different language
It is about conversation, not control

Readiness Element #1:
Understand th S i l Media Universe
U d t d the Social M di U i
More th one or two options
M than ti
Tools interplay with each other for maximum impact
Need to know all the bells and whistles

Readiness Element #2
Secure Ongoing Management Support and
Comfort
Comfort with the organic and uncontrolled nature of social
h h d ll d f l
media
Support processes that enable quick responses and
conversations
Provide resources that support success: time, people and
content

Readiness Element #3
Ensure You H
E Y Have a Well Defined Brand
W ll D fi d B d
A deep dive
Creates dialog NOT definition
Fill in the blanks

Readiness Element #4
Know th R l and the Myths
K the Rules d th M th
WOMMA Code of Ethics
Regulations specific to your industry
Don’t build programs and strategies around myths or fears
p g g y

Readiness Element #5
Commit t a S t i d Eff t
C it to Sustained Effort
Need a strategy
Speed of information and need for fresh content
Dedicate staff and time

Readiness Element #6
Have Policies Al
H P li i Already i Pl
d in Place
Link between what they view as their personal “cyber life” and
cyber life
their job
Help employees make good choices vs. seek to control

Eight Questions to Ask Before You Take
the Social Media Plunge
th S i l M di Pl
What is
Wh i your association’s management style?
i i ’ l ?
How responsive and knowledgeable about social media is your IT
team?
t ?
Are you a highly collaborative organization?
How close i your association t it members?
H l is i ti to its b ?

Eight Questions to Ask Before You Take
the Social Media Plunge (continued)
th S i l M di Pl
Is your association receptive to innovation and experimentation?
Is your online presence well known and is your Web site easy to use?
How engaged and interested are your Board and SMT?
Do you have employees already using and interested in social media?

Contact Information
Colleen Nolan, MA
Senior Consultant
ComBlu,LLC
cnolan@comblu.com
l @ bl
312-649-1687
SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!
Annual Meeting & Expo
g p
August 21 - 24, 2010
Los Angeles, CA

www.asaecenter.org
A Strategic Approach to Blogs,
Wiki s
Wiki’s and All the Rest
August 18, 2009
g ,
9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Damon A. Dozier
Director of Public Affairs
American Anthropological Association
Connecting Great Ideas and Great People

About the
Ab t th AAA
Association was founded in 1902.
Combined membership of scholars who work in both
academia and professional settings (10,000 members).
Members are experts i wide range of di i li
M b in id f disciplines i l di
including
linguistics, archeology, biology, and ethnography.
Members grouped into a number of sections, committees,
interest groups and commissions.
Located in Arlington, VA.
www.asaecenter.org

Why Social Networking
Greater sense of interactivity and engagement with
membership.
b hi
Other methods (email, listservs, traditional mail, etc.)
limit direct or “real-time” interaction.
real time
Adds enhancements to the value of membership without
large capital investments.
Initial stages of social networking program are easily
integrated into staff responsibilities.
www.asaecenter.org

How Do I Get Started
Outline clear goals and metrics for success.
Commit t using social media f th l
C it to i i l di for the long-term.
t
Outline to members exactly what you are doing and
why.
y
Get commitment from senior staff and board members.
Survey member preferences.
www.asaecenter.org

Taking the Survey
Initial survey of our entire membership.
Spring 2007, over 500 responses for an almost 4.6%
response rate.
rate
13 short questions on:
What members wanted from the association.
What modes of communication were the most helpful.
What the association could do to improve engagement.
Invited members to provide both p
p positive and negative
g
feedback.
Open for three weeks and was created using Survey Monkey.
Designed by staff, members of the Executive Board and other
g y ,
key association leadership.
www.asaecenter.org

Evaluating Results
Members expressed AAA was only “moderately
effective
effective” in producing outcomes to membership
membership.
Members expressed the need for the association to be
proactive.
Members showed excitement about a podcast being an
opportunity to increase visibility.
Members expressed interest in advocacy training
through webinars.
www.asaecenter.org

Setting Up The Program
Some Helpful Hints:
Start small.
Only introduce one technology to your membership at a time.
Know your membership demographic.
demographic
Certain projects or constructs may work better than others.
Don’t be afraid to experiment.
p
Ensure both members and staff approval.
Continue to solicit and heed constructive feedback.
www.asaecenter.org

Examples of AAA’s Social Media Efforts
AAA s
Member Advocacy Webinars
http://63.134.218.155/clients/aaaweb41.wm
http://63 134 218 155/clients/aaaweb41 wm
Bi-weekly podcast
http://www.aaanet.org/iPOD/Recordings/aaa_pod_34.1mp3
AAA Blog
http://blog.aaanet.org/
AAA on Twitter
http://twitter.com/AmericanAnthro
Please Visit Us!
www.asaecenter.org

Contact Information
Damon Dozier
Director of Public Policy
American Anthropological Association
ddozier@aaanet.org
(703) 528-1902 ext. 1163
www.asaecenter.org

Who Owns Social Media?
A St t i Approach
Strategic A h
August 18, 2009
18
Jennifer R
J if Ragan-Fore
F
Director of New Media & Member Communities
International Society for Technology in Education
www.asaecenter.org
Connecting Great Ideas and Great People

Orgs often struggle with
one of three situations
when establishing a social
g
media program…

Lack of
interest
across
the org

Multiple
uncoordinated efforts
ff

Centralized,
Centralized
overly
y
controlled
effort
ff t

General
Members
Volunteer
Membership Leaders
PR/
Communications
Meeting Marketing
Planning
Social
Media– We
all own it
Gov’t
G ’t
IT Relations
Executive
Leadership
Vendors Education &
Prof Dev

ISTE’s Social Web

In hindsight…
hindsight
Things we wish we’d known…

Value of joint ownership

Importance of having the
right people at the table

Value of over
communicating

Importance of clarifying
p y g
goals and decision-making

Are you
y
ready to
share?
h ?
Questions to consider… www.asaecenter.org

How much support do you
have across the
organization? www.asaecenter.org

How well does your
y
organization already
collaborate?
www.asaecenter.org

How inclusive is your current
volunteer leadership?
www.asaecenter.org

How well
branded is your
association?
www.asaecenter.org

How sensitive is the
information your
members tend
to share?
www.asaecenter.org

Does your
association
i ti
have a culture
of accountability?
www.asaecenter.org

Contact Information
Jennifer Ragan-Fore
Ragan Fore
Director of New Media & Member Communities
International Society for Technology in Education
jraganfore@iste.org
j f @i t
541.434.8938
SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!
Annual Meeting & Expo
g p
August 21 - 24, 2010
Los Angeles, CA
www.asaecenter.org

Contact Information
Damon Dozier Colleen Nolan MA
Nolan,
ddozier@aaanet.org cnolan@comblu.com
703-528-1902 ext. 1163 312-649-1687
Jennifer Ragan-Fore Leonard Greenberger
jraganfore@iste.org
j f i lgreenberger@pcgpr.com
l b
541-434-8938 202-297-1499
SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!
Annual Meeting & Expo
g p
August 21 - 24, 2010
Los Angeles, CA
www.asaecenter.org